As the healthcare industry seeks to address the increasing needs in the community due to the coronavirus outbreak, Holy Cross Health is working within its two local hospitals to attain adequate space and equipment, according to Kristin Feliciano, chief strategy officer at Holy Cross Health.
“Across Holy Cross Health, our ministry has transformed over the past month,” Feliciano said in an email. “Where we were teaching health and wellness classes in the community or serving a patient in need of a hip replacement surgery just a month ago, we now find ourselves creating online health videos and virtual classes and perform only emergency surgery. With the COVID-19 pandemic here, we are preparing and caring for our community in all new ways, and they are taking amazing care of us.”
Holy Cross Health, a network that supports two local hospitals in Maryland, Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital in Germantown, established a web page to provide information on how the community can get involved to support those on the front lines.
As the Holy Cross facilities prepare for an increase of coronavirus patients in need of different levels of care, Feliciano said that in addition to creating more spaces for inpatient care, they are preparing their staff as well.
“We are ensuring that we have all of the personal protective equipment needed by our staff, and we need to make sure that our staff stays well in mind, body and spirit,” she said.
Working within their larger organization of Trinity Health, Feliciano said that they have the supplies they need for the time being.
“Planning for a surge is tough, so we have opened up to all of our normal lines of supply and also opened up to the generosity of our community,” she said.
The local community can assist the Holy Cross Health Foundation with monetary donations to a separate fund that will be used to “support the purchase of equipment for new bed spaces… and also purchase necessary supplies to keep our colleagues safe,” Feliciano said.
Holy Cross Health Foundation will also accept the donations of personal protective equipment and supplies, as well as food and self-care items for the Holy Cross Health staff and colleagues.
“We have a simply amazing community,” Feliciano said. “The COVID-19 virus will be with us for quite a while and this outpouring of love, recognition, letters of thanks and support - all for our Holy Cross heroes, is truly amazing.”
For those interested in getting involved in assisting Holy Cross Health Foundation with any type of donation, visit www.holycrosshealth.org/donate/covid-19-support/#donations for directions and for more information.
“Thank you for your support,” Feliciano said “Be well, please adhere to the restrictions, what is separating us now, will bring us all closer moving forward.”
